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On a sunny weekend in April, Ryan and I walked down Ossington for pho in Toronto. Golden Turtle Restaurant, or Rùa Vàng, is one of two Vietnamese restaurants on the Ossington strip, and our brother says it’s a front for the Vietnamese mafia. Could be, since they only take cash. But the pho is amazing.
I first came here after I got back from cruising Southeast Asia with Tomiko and Donatello on their ship. We spent four out of ten cruise days in Vietnam, which was not nearly enough time to eat all the Vietnamese food I wanted! Plus, we are always wary of raw fruits and vegetables in countries where the water is not safe to drink, so it’s nice to not have to worry (as much) about eating the fresh herbs and sprouts.
The restaurant itself is a bit swankier than the other Vietnamese restaurant on Ossington, but it is still very casual. You take a look at the menu and write your order on the provided receipt, and the waitress then promptly brings you your food.
Ryan had the beef brisket and tripe pho, and I had the vegetarian pho with vegetables and fried tofu puffs, but with the regular house broth. The broth itself was herbal and perfumed, with a strong note of anise. The large bowls of soup were served with a plate of fresh mung bean sprouts and springs of basil that you can add to your soup if you wish.
To drink, Ryan had the creamy and slightly sweet avocado milkshake. I had the iced Vietnamese coffee, which was strong and would have been bitter if not for the layer of sweetened condensed milk on the bottom of the cup. Although we had pho this time, there are dozens of other dishes on the menu, from congee and ‘summer rolls,’ to satay and tamarind soup. We obviously need to go back and try those other dishes!
Visit Golden Turtle Restaurant:
125 Ossington Ave
Toronto, ON M6J 2Z6
